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Friday, November 9, 2012

Kaira , Cochin

Nestled in the heart of the busy and bumbling Cochin city, lies this cozy
little place,Kaira , with their tagline ‘A place where good things
happen’.

When you walk in, you are greeted by lovely paintings – it’s
kind of a mini art gallery where if your wallet permits, you can walk off with
one of these masterpieces after your meal. Smiling people everywhere are ready
to assist you to your table.

Mona lisa in naadan vesham?

The ambience is really classy and the décor minimal but each
piece makes a statement of its own .The tables are not too closely placed
together which makes for the beginning of a pleasant eating experience.

The best sitting area would be the lone table in an outdoor
seating where you can feel the cool breeze and enjoy the lush surroundings- perfect
for those family get-togethers or hanging out with your friends.

Everyone here recommends the fish curry meals which is a
steal at 120 Rs.

You have the option of either getting it served on a plate
or in true mallu style, in a banana leaf. It comes with the typical kerala side
dishes to every meal – some upperi ( fried plantains) , pickled beetroot in
vinegar, inji curry( sweet n sour ginger curry) , beans mezhekuperuti, pachadi(yoghurt
based side),avial and kootu curry , along with your moru , rasam, sambhar and
pappadam.

Kerala Meals

The fish curry has a grated coconut base and all this mixed with a
handful of rice together tasted just divine.

Fish Curry

The only complaint perhaps was
that the pappadam was a little bit oily which was duly noted by the chef.

We also tried the beef ularthiyete – which was tender and spicy,
karimeen( pearl spot) fry , chemmeen ularthiyete( prawns) and mussels fry.

Beef Ularthiyete

Chemeen ularthiyete

Mussels fry

The parottas here are crisp and flaky and pairs great with
the beef ularthiyete.

Don’t forget to try their signature dish of light as a feather
kallapams and duck roast – the kallapams absorb that creamy n delicious gravy just
like a sponge and just so flavorsome.

The mutton biriyani is also spectacular with subtle spice
and rich flavours.

For dessert, we had the Vattalapam – a srilankan delicacy almost
like caramel pudding but with coconut milk and jaggery .It was just spot on –
creamy and delicious.

Vattalapam

We came back here to try the Sunday breakfast. I ordered the
English breakfast which consisted of eggs, sausages, bacon, a pancake, potato
croquette and 2 slices of toast along with accompaniments of jam, butter and
honey and a glass of watermelon juice.

English breakfast

You can decide how you want your eggs
done, fried or scrambled and I went for a fluffy omelette. The potato croquette
was crisp and crunchy outside n melt in the mouth inside. We finished this with
a cup of coffee and some cut fruits, taking our time to relax and catch up
.They plan to start a seafood grill area soon as well as a coffee shop – with
bakes , sweet and savory. Looking forward to sampling these at my next visit.

Just a preview of what to expect in the pastry section-

Orange cake with chocolate ganache and orange buttercream

Chocolate Truffle cake - simply melt in the mouth

Kaira is a place you feel like visiting again and again with
its pleasant ambience and once here , you want to take all the time to enjoy your
meal. Truly an experience eating here!

Very nice place. Thanks for sharing this post. The tombstones there, located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, provide glimpses of Kochi’s Dutch past. A little beyond the cemetery is the only surviving fortification of the Portuguese — Fort Immanuel, around which the town once grew. Check out all best places to visit in Cochin also.